2 h. ago 6 cyclones, 5 weeks: inside the Philippines’ endless cycle of disaster

The tarpaulin barely held against the wind, sagging under days of ceaseless rain. For the earthquake survivors of San Remigio, in the central Philippines, it was all that remained – a thin sheet of plastic above a patch of mud, standing in for the homes a 6.9-magnitude quake had reduced to rubble weeks earlier. Then, in early November, Typhoon Kalmaegi barrelled through. The storm, known locally as Tino, drenched thousands of families still huddled in their makeshift shelters. Roads vanished...

Events

2 h. ago 6 cyclones, 5 weeks: Philippines can’t escape its endless cycle of disaster

The tarpaulin barely held against the wind, sagging under days of ceaseless rain. For the earthquake survivors of San Remigio, in the central Philippines, it was all that remained – a thin sheet of plastic above a patch of mud, standing in for the homes a 6.9-magnitude quake had reduced to rubble weeks earlier. Then, in early November, Typhoon Kalmaegi barrelled through. The storm, known locally as Tino, drenched thousands of families still huddled in their makeshift shelters. Roads vanished...

Events

10 h. ago Hong Kong government hits out at US politicians’ ‘absurd’ resolution on Jimmy Lai

Hong Kong authorities have hit back at US politicians’ “absurd and fact-twisting” allegations over the health of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and their call for his unconditional release from prison. A spokesman for the Hong Kong government described the resolution introduced in the United States House of Representatives as an attempt to pressure the city’s courts over Lai’s ongoing trial, accusing the body of “blatant hypocrisy and double standards” given the country’s own suspected...

Politics

10 h. ago Hong Kong government hits out at US politicians’ ‘absurd’ Jimmy Lai resolution

Hong Kong authorities have hit back at US politicians’ “absurd and fact-twisting” allegations over the health of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and their call for his unconditional release from prison. A spokesman for the Hong Kong government described the resolution introduced in the United States House of Representatives as an attempt to pressure the city’s courts over Lai’s ongoing trial, accusing the body of “blatant hypocrisy and double standards” given the country’s own suspected...

Politics

11 h. ago China’s Nvidia Just Jumped 400% on Debut. How the AI Chip Stocks Compare.

China’s Nvidia Just Jumped 400% on Debut. How the AI Chip Stocks Compare.  Barron's

Politics

12 h. ago French President urges more Chinese investment and balanced trade

French President urges more Chinese investment and balanced trade  Investment Monitor

Politics

14 h. ago France poised to get two giant pandas in 2027 after Macron’s visit to China

France is poised to get a pair of pandas in 2027 as part of a new decade-long loan agreement finalised following President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China. On Thursday, the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced it had agreed with France’s Beauval Zoo to extend their international cooperation on giant panda conservation with the aim of boosting Sino-French exchanges. According to the group’s statement, the two giant pandas are expected to arrive at the zoo in Saint-Aignan...

Politics

14 h. ago France poised to get 2 giant pandas in 2027 after Macron’s visit to China

France is poised to get a pair of pandas in 2027 as part of a new decade-long loan agreement finalised following President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China. On Thursday, the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced it had agreed with France’s Beauval Zoo to extend their international cooperation on giant panda conservation with the aim of boosting Sino-French exchanges. According to the group’s statement, the two giant pandas are expected to arrive at the zoo in Saint-Aignan...

Politics

16 h. ago China and France agree to work together on nuclear issues as Macron visit ends

China and France vowed to expand cooperation on nuclear issues and global challenges as French President Emmanuel Macron wrapped up his three-day visit to China on Friday. They reaffirmed their commitment to “promoting the safe development of nuclear energy and strengthening collaboration across the nuclear energy industry chain”, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The two nuclear powers also expressed their support for non-proliferation and underscored the key role of the International Atomic...

Politics

19 h. ago French, Chinese presidents hold informal talks in southwestern China

French, Chinese presidents hold informal talks in southwestern China  Anadolu Ajansı

Politics

32 h. ago Chinese Photographer Known for Human Rights Reporting Faces Five Years in Jail

Chinese Photographer Known for Human Rights Reporting Faces Five Years in Jail  PetaPixel

Events

36 h. ago Chinese executive named as suspect in Indonesia radioactive contamination probe

Indonesian authorities on Thursday named a Chinese executive of a metal smelting company as a suspect in a caesium-137 contamination case that resulted in the recall of some exports to the US. Lin Jingzhang, who is a director of PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT), has been designated as a suspect, Bara Hasibuan, a spokesperson for the investigating task force, said. “The Certain Crimes Directorate of the Indonesian National Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit has named Lin Jingzhang, a citizen of...

Politics

37 h. ago As Macron eyes China deals to revive industry, trade shows tables have turned

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Chinese companies to invest in France and transfer know-how in emerging sectors like batteries, electric vehicles (EVs) and solar panels – highlighting growing concerns over the widening technological gap between the two countries. “We want to welcome more Chinese investment through projects and re-industrialisation strategies, and this is what will allow us to break the cycle we’re currently in,” he said on Thursday in Beijing, where he attended a...

Politics

39 h. ago French President Macron meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, urges China to push for Ukraine ceasefire

French President Macron meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, urges China to push for Ukraine ceasefire  WION

Politics

42 h. ago In wake of Hong Kong blaze, Southeast Asia’s fire hazards come under scrutiny

Last year, Mutalib Uthman was forced to look on helplessly as his house burned to the ground and all his possessions were incinerated in a wall of flames and thick, black smoke. The book publisher from Selangor said a faulty fuse box on the lower floor sparked the blaze inside his home in Bandar Baru Bangi. His two-storey house in the town near Putrajaya was destroyed quickly despite a neighbour trying to help with a fire extinguisher. “The box was inside the store room, which was full of unused...

Events

44 h. ago HashKey’s IPO seeks US$300 million under shadow of Beijing’s regulatory scrutiny

The initial public offering (IPO) of HashKey Holdings, operator of Hong Kong’s largest cryptocurrency exchange, lays bare challenges faced by local platforms under Beijing’s watchful eye, even though the listing itself was recognition of the growing influence of digital assets in the city, according to analysts. HashKey, established in Hong Kong in 2018, on Monday cleared its Hong Kong listing hearing after a confidential filing earlier this year, paving the way for an IPO that could raise up to...

Economics

45 h. ago Chinese, French presidents attend closing of 7th meeting of China

Chinese, French presidents attend closing of 7th meeting of China-France Business Council  news.cgtn.com

Politics

46 h. ago Xi Jinping urges Emmanuel Macron to ‘stand on the right side of history’

Chinese President Xi Jinping told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that he was willing to work with France to “eliminate interference” and work on developing a steady relationship as they met for talks on Thursday, where issues such as trade are expected to be on the agenda. Xi said the world was undergoing rapid changes and the two countries “should demonstrate their responsibility, uphold the banner of multilateralism and firmly stand on the right side of history”. “China, together...

Politics

46 h. ago China and France should ‘understand and support each other’, Xi tells Macron

Chinese President Xi Jinping told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that the two countries should “understand and support each other” and advance cooperation during a meeting on Thursday that touched on a range of issues, including the Ukraine war. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Xi described the discussions as “friendly, candid and fruitful”. He said the pair had agreed that the two countries “should uphold multilateralism, stand on the right side of history, adhere to equal...

Politics

47 h. ago Most Europeans want to keep same distance between US and China, poll finds

A majority of Europeans want to maintain an equal distance from the United States and China rather than aligning with one of the two superpowers over the other, a survey published on Thursday shows. While just 4 per cent of Europeans polled would prioritise alignment with China over the US, 55 per cent preferred to keep “the same distance between the two”, according to the result of the Eurobazooka, a survey published by Le Grand Continent, a French magazine. One-fifth of those polled across...

Politics